CANDIDATE PREPARATIONPACK

Piano syllabus 2018-2020

Your teacher will help you to prepare for your piano exam with Trinity College London. Their expertise will be invaluable in guiding you to reach examination standard.

The resources in this Candidate Preparation Pack will help you to get ready for the big day. All the content here is taken from the 2018-2020 piano syllabus.

Download the complete piano syllabus

GETTING READY FOR YOUR

PIANO EXAM

EXAMDURATIONS

See how long your exam will last

Exam DurationsExams are designed to include sufficient time for setting up and presenting all components, and overall durations are as follows:

EXAM DURATIONS

Exams are designed to include sufficient time for setting up and presenting all components, and overall durations are as follows:

Grade 7

22 mins

Initial

10 mins

Grade 1

11 mins

Grade 2

11 mins

Grade 6

22 mins

Grade 8

27 mins

Grade 3

12 mins

Grade 4

16 mins

Grade 5

16 mins

EXAM DURATIONS

Exams are designed to include sufficient time for setting up and presenting all components, and overall durations are as follows:

Grade 7

22 mins

Initial

10 mins

Grade 1

11 mins

Grade 2

11 mins

Grade 6

22 mins

Grade 8

27 mins

Grade 3

12 mins

Grade 4

16 mins

Grade 5

16 mins

EXAM DURATIONS

Exams are designed to include sufficient time for setting up and presenting all components, and overall durations are as follows:

Grade 7

22 mins

Initial

10 mins

Grade 1

11 mins

Grade 2

11 mins

Grade 6

22 mins

Grade 8

27 mins

Grade 3

12 mins

Grade 4

16 mins

Grade 5

16 mins

Initial

Grade 3

Grade 6

Grade 1

Grade 4

Grade 7

Grade 2

Grade 5

Grade 8

SIGHT READING

Find out what’s expected of you for sight reading at each grade

Parameters For Sight Reading Tests

Initial

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 5

Grade 4

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

See how your exam will be marked

How The Pieces Are MarkedExaminers use the criteria below to decide on the mark:

7 MARKS 6 MARKS 5 MARKS

Fluency& accuracy

An excellent senseof fluency withsecure control ofpulse and rhythm.A very high degreeof accuracy in notes.

A very good senseof fluency withonly momentaryinsecurities in controlof pulse and rhythm.A high degree ofaccuracy in notes —slips not significant.

A good sense offluency thoughwith occasionalinconsistencies incontrol of pulse andrhythm. A gooddegree of accuracyin notes despitesome slips.

7 MARKS 6 MARKS 5 MARKS

Technicalfacility

The various technicaldemands of the musicfulfilled to a very highdegree. An excellentlevel of tone control.

The various technicaldemands of themusic fulfilled withonly momentaryinsecurities. A verygood level of tonecontrol despiteminimal blemishes.

The various technicaldemands of the musicfulfilled for the mostpart. A good level of tone control though with occasional lapses.

8 MARKS 7 MARKS 6 MARKS

Communication&interpretation

An excellent level of stylistic understandingwith keen attention to performance details.Highly effectivecommunicationand interpretation.

A very good level of stylistic understandingwith most performancedetails realised. Effective communication and interpretation overall.

A good level of stylisticunderstanding thoughoccasional performancedetails omitted.Communication andinterpretation mostlyeffective.

4 MARKS 3 MARKS 1-2 MARKS

A generally reliable senseof fluency though withsome inconsistencies andstumbles in the controlof pulse and rhythm.A reasonable degree ofaccuracy in notes despitea number of errors.

Only a limited sense offluency with a lack ofbasic control of pulseand rhythm. Accuracy innotes sporadic, with errorsbecoming intrusive.

Little or no sense of fluency— control of pulse andrhythm not established.Accuracy in notes verylimited with many errorsof substance.

4 MARKS 3 MARKS 1-2 MARKS

The various technicaldemands of the musicgenerally managed despitesome inconsistencies. A basiclevel of tone control despitesome insecurity.

The technical demands of themusic often not managed.The performance lacks abasic level of tone control.

Many or all of the technicaldemands of the music notmanaged. Significant flawsin tone control.

4 MARKS 3 MARKS 1-2 MARKS

A reasonable level of stylisticunderstanding thoughsome performance detailsomitted. Communication andinterpretation basically reliablethough with some lapses.

Stylistic understandinggenerally lacking with limitedrealisation of performancedetails. Communication andinterpretation inconsistent.

Stylistic understanding notapparent with little or norealisation of performancedetails. Communication andinterpretation ineffective.

How Technical Work Is MarkedExaminers use the criteria below to decide on the mark:

DISTINCTION13–14 MARKS

MERIT11–12 MARKS

Scales & arpeggios An excellent or verygood sense of fluencyand accuracy.

A very high degree oftechnical control.

Prompt responses.

A good sense of fluencyand accuracy withoccasional errors.

A good degree oftechnical control.

Prompt responses overall.

DISTINCTION13–14 MARKS

MERIT11–12 MARKS

Exercises An excellent or verygood sense of fluencyand accuracy.

A very high degree oftechnical control.

Keen attention toperformance detailsand musical character.

A good sense of fluencyand accuracy withoccasional errors.

A good degree oftechnical control.

Good attention toperformance details andmusical character overall.

PASS9–10 MARKS

BELOW PASS 16–8 MARKS

BELOW PASS 21–5 MARKS

A generally reliable senseof fluency and accuracydespite a number of errors.

A reasonable degree oftechnical control despitesome inconsistences.

Generally prompt responsesdespite some hesitancy and/or restarts.

Limited or very limitedfluency and accuracy witherrors becoming intrusive.

An inconsistent degreeof technical control.

Hesitancy in responsesand restarts.

Little or no sense offluency and accuracywith many errors.

An unreliable degreeof technical control.

Uncertain responses withmany restarts and/or itemsnot offered.

A generally reliable sense offluency and accuracy despitea number of errors.

A reasonable degree oftechnical control despitesome inconsistences.

Some attention toperformance detailsand musical character.

Limited or very limitedfluency and accuracy witherrors becoming intrusive.

An inconsistent degreeof technical control.

Limited attention toperformance detailsand musical character.

Little or no sense offluency and accuracywith many errors.

An unreliable degreeof technical control.

Little or no attention toperformance details andmusical character.

How Supporting Tests Are MarkedExaminers use the criteria below to decide on the mark:

DISTINCTION9–10 MARKS

MERIT8 MARKS

Sight reading An excellent or very goodsense of fluency withsecure control of pulse,rhythm and tonality.

A very high degree ofaccuracy in notes, withmusical detail realised.

A good sense of fluencythough with occasionalinconsistencies in control ofpulse, rhythm and tonality.A good degree of accuracy

in notes despite someslips, with some musicaldetail realised.

Aural An excellent or very gooddegree of aural perceptionin all aspects.

Confident and promptresponses.

A good degree of auralperception in the majorityof aspects.

Mostly confident andprompt responses.

Musical knowledge An excellent or very gooddegree of musical knowledgein all aspects.

Confident and promptresponses.

A good degree of musicalknowledge in the majorityof aspects.

Mostly confident andprompt responses.

Improvisation An excellent or very goodsense of musical structure,based on the stimulus,delivered with a high levelof fluency.

A highly creative andimaginative response.

A good sense of musicalstructure, based on thestimulus, delivered witha good level of fluency.

A creative and imaginativeresponse overall.

PASS6–7 MARKS

BELOW PASS 14–5 MARKS

BELOW PASS 21–3 MARKS

A generally reliable senseof fluency though withsome inconsistencies andstumbles in the control ofpulse, rhythm and tonality.

A reasonable degree ofaccuracy in notes despitea number of errors andwith little attention tomusical detail.

Only a limited sense offluency with a lack of basiccontrol of pulse, rhythmand tonality.

Accuracy in notes sporadicwith no attention tomusical detail.

Little or no sense of fluency— control of pulse, rhythmand tonality not established.

Accuracy in notes verylimited with no attentionto musical detail.

A generally reliable degreeof aural perception inmost aspects though withsome imprecision.

Generally confident andprompt responses thoughwith occasional hesitationor uncertainty.

A limited or very limited auralperception with some lack ofprecision in most aspects.

Hesitant or uncertainresponses.

Unreliable aural perceptionin the majority or all aspects.

Very hesitant or uncertain/missing responses.

A generally reliable degreeof musical knowledge inmost aspects.

Generally confident andprompt responses thoughwith occasional hesitationor uncertainty.

A limited or very limiteddegree of musical knowledgein most aspects.

Hesitant or uncertainresponses.

Unreliable musical knowledgein the majority or all aspects.

Very hesitant or uncertain/missing responses.

A generally reliable sense ofmusical structure, based onthe stimulus, delivered witha reasonable level of fluencydespite occasional lapses.

Some element of creativityand imagination inthe response.

A limited or very limitedsense of musical structure,with little relation to thestimulus, delivered with somehesitations and stumblesin fluency.

A lack of creativity andimagination in the response.

Musical structure onlypartially or not apparentwith no relation to thestimulus and fluencyoften compromised.

Little or no creativity orimagination in the response.